Snapshots: Senators' Craig Anderson has no issue with alternating-start approach

The Ottawa Senators are sticking to the plan of alternating their goalies even after Mike Condon made 30 stops in a 2-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, halting the team’s six-game losing skid.

Senators head coach Guy Boucher didn’t hesitate Friday when he named Anderson the starter for Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center, the start of back-to-back contests that include Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Canadiens in Montreal. Condon is expected to start that game in net.

With 33 games left in this National Hockey League season, neither Senators goaltender is complaining.

“I don’t mind it,” Anderson said Friday. “You stay fresh, you’re able to stay mentally sharp, and I think you’re able to stay physically a little bit more sharp as well.

“Right now, that’s the situation we’re in as far as a team, and I think it’s one of those things where you make the most of your time and earn your ice time. You play well and you keep getting more ice time. Right now, Mike’s playing really well and I’m playing well, so it seems to be a good fit.

“There’s been lots of teams in years past that have done the rotation and it’s worked well for them.”

Anderson said he would still get his games in.

“If we continue with this rotation, we’ll be right around the 50-game mark,” he said. “I’m breaking it down one game at a time and I’m not worried about the overall, complete season as far as the number of games played. You just want to make sure you earn your ice time.

“I’ve been in this game long enough to know that, when you don’t play well, you don’t deserve the ice time. You have to make sure you compete and earn it.”

Of course, Boucher was asked if this meant Anderson was no longer the Senators’ No. 1 goalie. He laughed off that suggestion.

“That’s you trying to make something out of this situation,” Boucher said with a wide smile. “Our No. 1 goalie hasn’t changed. Condo’s role hasn’t changed and what we’re doing until the end of the year is making sure that both goaltenders have enough to get to the level that they can be at.

“Right now, the last three games have looked good for that. I think what we’re doing is working and we’re going to continue that until the end. It will give both guys the chance to have enough ice time to grow their game.”

Senators centre Matt Duchene battles for control of the puck with Ducks winger Nick Ritchie during the first period of Thursday’s game in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld /
THE CANADIAN PRESS

OFF THE GLASS

Give Senators centre Matt Duchene credit for his optimism. He wants to get into the playoffs and was excited after Thursday’s win over Anaheim. He isn’t ready to throw in the towel. “It’s going to take something extraordinary to get us back into things thing,” Duchene said. “(Thursday) might be what it takes. Teams have gone on 10-game winning streaks this year and played their way back into the playoff picture. We’ve got to start somewhere. It’s a tall order. We’ve not looking (ahead). We’re looking at this weekend. You never know. If we win this weekend, you get the ball rolling. This is a game of momentum. You get on the wrong side of things; it’s like pushing a bolder up a hill. You get on the right side, it’s like pushing it downhill. It’s unbelievable how it can flip once you get feeling good or bad. If there’s any hope for us, we’ve got to build on this and take care of business this weekend.” … Senators captain Erik Karlsson scored the fifth game-winning overtime goal of his career against the Ducks. That moved him into a second-place tie with former centre Kyle Turris, who had five with the Senators before being dealt to Nashville. That was also the 25th game-winning goal of Karlsson’s career and it came in his 600th NHL game. He moved by Martin Havlat and Turris into eighth all-time in game-winning goals, and No. 7 is Radek Bonk with 25. Former captain Daniel Alfredsson is the franchise leader with 68.

Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki played Thursday against the Ducks despite being struck in the face with a puck during the morning skate that day. Julie Oliver/PostmediaJulie Oliver /
Postmedia

THE LAST WORDS

Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki was feeling a lot better Friday after leaving Thursday’s morning skate for repairs after a puck hit his chin. Borowiecki suited up against the Ducks, though. “It was pretty deep. It was right down to the bone,” Borowiecki said. “I had to get two (stitches) on the muscle and six over top. I was a little more worried about my teeth. My lower teeth all went numb and I thought I had lost them all. I had visions of myself sitting in the dentist’s chair. I feel pretty good. It all tightened back up.” … Winger Mark Stone will miss both games this weekend. Sidelined with a leg injury, he wasn’t on the ice at the Bell Sensplex before the Senators left Ottawa on Friday … General manager Pierre Dorion, who has spent the week in Europe, scouting top prospects for the National Hockey League draft in June, is expected to rejoin the Senators for Sunday’s game in Montreal.

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